1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a small-sized thermal printer which employs a thermal ink ribbon and is capable of carrying out mainly a color printing on a printing sheet by use of a heating element.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, thermal printers carry out a printing on a printing sheet by heating a heat fusible ink ribbon or a heat sublimate ink ribbon with a heating element. Under the present, technique, the thermal printer of this type is believed to be the smallest and able to be manufactured with low cost as a color printer, particularly a full, color printer as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,785. In order to realize the small-sized thermal printers, a current trend is to house a printing sheet in a cassette or to house an ink ribbon in a cartridge.
The fact that the thermal printer can be made small-sized may mean that a portable, personal thermal color printer will appeal to many potential users. An urgent problem to be solved now is to provide for a printer of this type that can be operated by users with ease and safety, and particularly, an arrangement of a printing sheet and thermal ink ribbon as expendables to be replaced by new ones with ease and safety.